Whisky Brand Marketing Specialist

Title: Whisky Brand Marketing Specialist

Department(s): Annandale Distillery

Reports to: Group Marketing & PR Manager

Hours: You should expect to be available to work Monday to Sunday, a minimum of one weekend of the month, working an average of 40 hours a week, over 5 days per week. You should be flexible to workdays, evenings, weekends and national holidays to work in all venues as per business needs with fair warning.

Job Summary

As the Whisky Brand Marketing Specialist for Annandale Distillery’s bottled brands, your main focus will be to drive awareness and sales of our portfolio of award-winning single cask, single malt whiskies through the implementation of dynamic marketing strategies and campaigns across all

media platforms. You will actively seek out markets for promotion, always maintain a well-organised administrative system, and stay informed of customer needs and market trends. Developing a deep understanding of whisky marketing and production is essential for success in this role.

Principle Accountabilities

· Develop and implement consumer-driven marketing strategies and plans for our bottled whisky brands based on a deep understanding of our target consumer’s behaviours, beliefs, attitudes, and motivations

· Monitor market and consumer trends closely, adapting marketing strategies proactively to anticipate changes and reactively to respond to emerging trends.

· Collaborate with the wider marketing team to create and execute insight-based marketing consumer and customer brand campaigns across various channels, such as print, digital, events, PR, trade, and social media, ensuring they align with the brand’s objectives and target audience.

· Support the planning and execution of brand-related events, such as product launches, trade shows, and whisky tastings, supporting with logistics, materials, and external vendors and assisting the Sales and Tourism team with relevant customer initiatives.

· Conduct research on industry trends, competitors and consumer preferences to develop strong consumer and customer insight and marketing strategies & inform product development.

· Collaborate with the wider marketing team to manage and optimise the brand’s website, e-commerce activity, email marketing campaigns, and digital advertising initiatives to drive engagement and sales.

· Serve as a brand guardian, understand the history and heritage of the brand, and ensure brand consistency across all marketing channels and communications, developing clear positioning statements, adhering to brand guidelines, and maintaining a strong and cohesive brand identity.

· Develop and refine brand positioning for each whisky within the portfolio as well as an overarching positioning statement for the entire whisky range, ensuring consistency and alignment across individual brands while communicating their unique value propositions and contributing to a unified brand image.

· Monitor and analyse marketing data, prepare reports, and contribute to the evaluation of marketing performance & ROI, suggesting improvements based on findings.

· Explore, identify, and test new marketing concepts, ideas, platforms and potential partners to expand brand reach, enhance promotional efforts, and drive sales for the whisky portfolio, while evaluating the effectiveness and ROI of these initiatives.

· Manage budgets in agreement with the Marketing Manager, ensuring effective deployment of concepts and projects without exceeding limits.

· Support in-house and consultant design processes, ensuring alignment with digital and social channels. Assist in developing brand guidelines and visual identity as necessary.

· Collaborate with the Commercial Director to manage the new release calendar and deliver efficient launch schedules.

Useful Qualifications/Knowledge/Experience:

· University/graduate level education, in marketing, business or related field, along with several years of relevant work experience

· Experience in the alcoholic beverage industry, preferably whisky or spirits, with an understanding of the market and regulatory environment

· Proven track record of developing and executing successful marketing campaigns

· Familiarity with digital marketing platforms, including website management, social media, and email marketing.

· Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret consumer data and market research to inform decision-making.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a flair for creating engaging content.

· Passion for whisky, appreciation of Scottish culture, and a commitment to brand authenticity.

· Proficient in navigating an FMCG, retail and e-commerce environment.

· Exhibit excellent attention to detail and communication skills whilst prioritising multiple cross-functional projects with concurrent deadlines.

· Strong team player, able to collaborate with internal teams including the commercial team and with other marketing specialists

· Highly self-motivated, showing initiative, flexibility and a desire towards methodological continuous improvement.